5 Takeaways: Michigan State plays inspired, but falls short vs. rival Wolverines
The atmosphere in Ann Arbor pre-game was different than anything we've seen before, but once the ball was tipped, the atmosphere was electric at the Crisler Center.
Michigan State played inspired basketball in the wake of the tragic shooting which took place in East Lansing on Monday, but the Spartans didn't have enough in the tank to hold off a late surge for the Wolverines. Michigan ended the game on a huge run for a 84-72 win.
Here are five takeaways from tonight's game:
1.) Hot start for the Spartans
It was hard to know what to expect from MSU coming into this game, given the events earlier in the week.
The Spartans won the tip, executed their first offensive set to perfection, Joey Hauser knocked down a midrange jumper, and Michigan State was off to the races. MSU got off to a great start offensively, hitting seven of their first eight shot attempts.
Michigan State's hot start continued from there. At the under-eight minute timeout in the first half, the Spartans held a 26-23 lead and were shooting 63% from the floor with just two turnovers. MSU has been plagued with slow starts through much of the 2022-23 season, but that wasn't the case tonight in Ann Arbor.
2.) Wolverines out-rebound Spartans badly
Michigan State's defense wasn't awful, but it wasn't up to the standard we've seen from MSU this season. The Spartans were also beaten soundly on the glass tonight and those extra possessions kept the Wolverines in the game when Michigan State had chances to pull away.
Michigan out-rebounded MSU 38-25 overall, and had a 14-6 advantage on the offensive glass. The Spartans' second-chance defense was fairly good, but the Wolverines scored 13 points on second opportunities.
Michigan State led for more than 25 minutes in this one, but the Spartans let Michigan hang around and the Wolverines made them pay in the end.
3.) MSU seniors seize the moment
Although it came in a losing effort, Michigan State's senior played inspired basketball tonight, and it was fitting for those guys to lead the way on an emotional night for the Spartans.
Hauser got off to an outstanding start, knocking down four of his first five shot attempts on his way to a great night. Malik Hall subbed in early for the Spartans and threw down an alley-oop of an assists from A.J. Hoggard, and later threw down another thunderous jam in transition. Finally, Tyson Walker was his normal, steady self and turned in another strong performance.
Hauser led MSU with 20 points, shooting 6-of-13 from the floor, 3-of-7 from three and 5-for-5 from the foul line. He added four rebounds and a steal. Hall provided a nice boost off the bench with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting, while adding three rebounds and an assist. Walker's performance was a little more subdued, but no less impactful. He finished with 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting, and knocked down a huge three late before Michigan responded with a pair of triple of their own.
While the outcome was disappointing, these Spartan seniors left everything they had out on the floor in Ann Arbor.
4.) Spartans protect the rock
Michigan State was humming offensively throughout the night and limiting turnovers was a big reason why. The Spartans had just eight giveaways tonight, while turning Michigan over nine times.
We haven't seen the Spartans this cohesive offensively much this season, and while it wasn't enough to win the game tonight, if Michigan State can bottle this type of offensive performance they'll be a dangerous team in March.
5.) MSU bench played well
Led by Hall, Michigan State got a huge boost from its bench tonight. In addition to the senior's strong night, the Spartans also got contributions from freshmen big men Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler.
Cooper had just four points and two rebounds, but he did a really good job defending Michigan's bigs in the post. Once considered to be a redshirt candidate, Cooper is ahead of schedule at MSU and has the makings of a solid big in years to come for the Spartans. He's been good in both matchups vs. the Wolverines this season.
Meanwhile, Kohler also added four points and three rebounds for MSU in eight minutes played. He's flashed that four-star potential at times throughout the year, and one would assume he's only going to get better as his career continues.
